New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched a 15-day ‘Revadi Pe Charcha’ programme that will begin on Nov 25 and would continue till Dec 10. The campaign focuses on six free facilities the party is offering ahead of the Delhi assembly elections next year. Kejriwal attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for insulting the services by calling them ‘revadis’ (freebies) and launched the two-week-long programme.
He said his government utilise money to provide people of Delhi six free services or “revadis” like free electricity, water, quality schools, quality hospitals and Mohalla Clinics, free bus travel for women, and pilgrimage for the elderly in Delhi.
"In not a single state out of the 20 ruled by the BJP, the government is giving 24-hour free power supply," he said while warning voters not to fall into BJP's trap.
Notably, the name of the initiative is similar to PM Narendra Modi's famous 'Chai Pe Charcha' programme.
"If you press the ‘Lotus’ election symbol of the BJP, your 24-hour free power supply will be discontinued in Delhi, so press the ‘Broom’ poll symbol of the AAP," he added, quoted PTI.
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According to the party, 65,000 discussions will be held as part of the programme and a new 'revadi' of Rs 1000 for each woman in Delhi per month will also be initiated.
Kejriwal said he always does his "homework" properly and delivers what he promises. "The BJP has only deceived the public. Ahead of the previous election, in December 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that they would open registration of houses in unplanned colonies. That was a lie. After their announcement, not a single registry for these colonies was made," Arvind Kejriwal said, while slamming the saffron party, quoted PTI.
Speaking of the projects launched under his party's rule, he said the projects related to 6,800 km-long sewer lines, 10,000 km-long roads and 6,800 km-long drains and numerous Mohalla Clinics and schools in unplanned colonies for the Poorvanchali people were started when the party took command of the national capital.
Delhi will go to polls early 2025 and a fierce battle between the AAP and BJP is likely to be seen.
Former leaders of AAP have meanwhile voiced concern against the initiative. Ex-AAP member Mayank Gandhi told IANS, "We joined the AAP for alternative politics. None of us were career politicians. We wanted to transform the country. But Kejriwal became so consumed by the lure of power that he turned worse than the parties we sought to replace."
"Giveaways are dangerous for the nation. Remember Venezuela, a country in South America. It used to be one of the developed countries, but see where it is now. Unfortunately, this trend is spreading," he added, quoted the agency.